Tips to help you prepare and plan for upcoming finals

As we round past the halfway point of this semester, college students dread to think about finals approaching. I believe that organization is key to surviving your future challenges. Socially and academically, I have a few tips for you that could work wonders this December, and maybe for the rest of your life.

Get a planner

Now, if you don’t have a planner or calendar of some sort by this point in your life, I highly recommend you should invest in one. A planner or calendar of some sort can keep all your engagements in line. It keeps you productive and helps avoid distractions. 

I have found success in keeping one location for all my activities. It gets too confusing to have multiple and it can get to be very cluttered. I tried doing my social activities on my phone calendar and my homework on my planner, but I didn’t like having two separate places but do what works for you. Investing in a planner is a great start.

Color coordinate

Once you secure your planner I suggest a task that makes my heart so happy. This is my absolute favorite activity: get that aesthetic planner and start color coordinating. Every semester I make each course I am taking a different color. Personally, I try to match each colored class into a cool or warm category, but that might be a bit much. 

Doing this every semester has saved me so much time and it continues to help me organize my homework and my upcoming tasks. Color coding is therapeutic and allows me to be responsible. It makes my planner look good and it’s all around super satisfying. 

Avoid procrastination at all costs

Do not, I repeat, do not procrastinate. Especially if there is a class you are worried about, procrastination is not the move. These course finals are so important and reflect on your work here at NDSU. Start preparing for your finals early. It can only help you. Chegg, Quizlet, Study Blue, Study.com, Study Stack, Grammarly, Khan Academy and so many more websites can help you prep fast and prep early.

When you don’t procrastinate, you’re not burning the midnight oil and you allow yourself the ability to wake up earlier. Getting up earlier allows your brain to fully wake up and be at maximum readiness for those tests. You will get more done in the day and you will be prone to going to sleep a bit earlier which is always good for your mental and physical health. 

If you care, here’s what to wear

Another option for you is to dress for success. If you want to do well on your finals, I don’t recommend showing up in person or online wearing baggy sweatpants. There was a study done on how individuals who wore fancier clothes to their big projects and exams did significantly better than those who arrived in leggings or sweatpants. 

When you wear comfortable apparel your mind is not at peak performance. It relates comfortable clothes with ease and relaxation. With the Hyflex model, it might be hard to change out of your PJs for class, but it is a must for finals. Just putting on a fresh pair of pants will do wonders for your scores. 

You have probably heard all of these techniques before, and it’s because there is a reason. They are helpful and often allow students to be successful. Lastly, go easy on yourself, this is college and it is really hard at times. You are doing great and you can keep this up.